Continuous improvement in the efficient use of energy in office buildings through peers effects

Extant research has highlighted the pros and cons of the use of (a) competition and (b) positive (peer) pressure as two mechanisms for invoking peer effects to bring about long-term behavior change. However, these mechanisms have been studied separately and in different contexts. In this paper, we compare the differential impacts of competition versus positive pressure-induced pro-environmental behavior change in the same target population. This study spans a seven-year horizon between 2013 and 2019 (pre-COVID) during which the workforce of about 2500 employees in the Stephan P. Clark Government Center in Miami, Florida, was split into four groups - one control and three treatment groups. Each treatment group was subjected to (a) a healthy inter-group competition through tracking, benchmarking, and comparing monthly group level electricity saving, and (b) positive pressure through the appointment of champions who encouraged pro-environmental behavior among their group members. Studying these mechanisms concurrently in the same population allows for a nuanced comparison of their differential impacts on pro-environmental behavior change. •In this paper, we compare the differential impacts of competition-induced spillover and supervision-induced peer pressure in affecting pro-environmental behavior change in the same target over a seven-year analysis horizon.•The study spans 2013-2019 during which the workforce of about 2500 employees in a building was split into four groups (one control and three treatment) and was subjected to both peer pressure and healthy competition.•The study spans 2013-2019 during which the workforce of about 2500 employees in a building was split into four groups (one control and three treatment) and was subjected to both peer pressure and healthy competition.•These results have implications for the design of pro-environment campaigns that could leverage peer effects through fostering an environment of intragroup pride and healthy inter-group rivalry sprinkled with intermittent supervisory interventions for making long-term impacts.